The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia
by Dearlylovedbyhim
Summary: Going to try to add more chapters to this as we go along. This is my theory on what could have happened to Karen and David. There will be Caryl in this story but mostly in later chapters as I set the stage. I just want to add that I would be shocked if they did pair Michonne and Daryl together. Personally, I see no chemistry there at all. They are too much alike.
1. Chapter 1

**There will be Caryl in this story (later chapters) so hang with me. This is my take on what could have happened.**

Carol moved methodically through the prison yard. Placing her hand at her brow she squinted and gazed out at the horizon. The Georgia sun had waned from its normal intensity of blaring heat as the winds of Autumn blew through with its comfort and threat of winter. The Walkers had thinned to a small army and it was just in the nick of time since the fence was clearly on its last leg.

Bending down at the site of Lori's grave she began to pull the weeds that had gathered there. It would be almost a year since they lost their friend and she was embarrassed to say she barely thought of her anymore. She contemplated to herself how a gravesite was not only a marker but a memorial so even if we never knew someone, they would somehow still at least be wondered about.

"Sophia's where she should be." His low gravely voice startled her from her thoughts. She turned to see Daryl standing there, bow hung over his left shoulder, head slightly lowered and looking at her with those eyes that saw straight through her.

"On some remnants of what used to be a home, under a tree that has probably burned to the ground? No marker to even let someone know she is there?" Carol said with tears burning her eyes, threatening to spill over.

Daryl slowly walked toward her. He reached out and placed his hand on the left side of her chest. She flinched, scared of the feelings his touch brought her. "I was talking about here." He gave her a sad smile and walked away. Carol turned, watching him in bewilderment, shocked at his revelation. She turned back just as the sun was setting. She smiled wide at the thought that Sophia could never really be taken from her. She looked back again to watch him as he entered the prison but he was already gone. _ Just like an Angel,_ she thought. _ Just like an Angel_.

Daryl opened the curtain to his cell and stood there for only a brief moment. He didn't know what it was like to be tired anymore. If he wasn't hunting food for the group then he was attending council meetings and going on runs. That is why it bothered him that Carol seemed to occupy any extra room he had for his thoughts. She seemed distant and aloof – something was bothering her and it was more than worrying about the family. He sat down on the edge of his bed – afraid to lay down for fear he would fall asleep and he had fence duty in less than an hour.

"It seems I'm always walking in here thanking you for something." Carol smiled.

Daryl smirked at her slightly. "Well, you're always gettin' your ass in trouble." Daryl huffed.

"You know what I was talking about. I needed that out there. I've been feeling sorry for myself lately. I just wanted to tell you that what you said meant a lot to me and it mattered. It made a difference. She smiled at him and it made the butterflies in his stomach go crazy. Why was she always giving him that beautiful soft smile that made his palms sweat and his heart race?

"Do you want to talk about it?" Daryl asked.

"Not really, just feel like we can't catch a break. "

"Hey, sorry to interrupt you guys but Rick is calling an emergency council meeting in the library right now." Beth said.

The council sat around the table waiting for Rick to explain why they were being called to such a late meeting.

Rick stood before the group –"We think it's the swine flu but we are not sure. It could be something worse. It could be a strain we've never seen before or something else all-together. Right now we have two quarantined – Karen and David. Hopefully with them separated from the rest of the group, we will keep it from spreading, but we have to play it safe until then. We're going to have a lot of scared people and the last thing we need is people panicking. Don't lie to them but try to keep them calm. We'll regroup tomorrow morning. Everybody get some rest – it's crucial right now.

Everyone left and Carol walked back to her cell, feeling defeated. As she lay in her bunk, she couldn't help but fear for how many more they were going to lose because of this unseen enemy. They knew how to fight walkers, they knew how to fight people, but this was something that was beyond all of them – even with medication, there was no way to guarantee those she loved would survive. She thought of Lizzie and Mika and then, as always, she thought of Daryl. She couldn't lose him. She knew there was only one thing to do and though she couldn't bear the thought, she kept her family in the forefront of her mind. Grabbing her knife, she headed for Death Row.

The prison was always scariest at night. She swore demons from past prisoners still resided there, despite the fact they had done everything to make it a home. She walked closed to the walls, out of the light and in to the shadows. She marveled to herself at how quiet she could be when she needed to. The few times Daryl had taken her on hunts had proved to come in handy for this moment, though nothing could be good about what she was going to do. She opened the wide, heavy door slowly and slipped her way through the smallest opening. She held her breath for fear though the stench would have caused her to do so anyway. She could hear noises coming from one of the cells and she braced herself and moved forward. Suddenly Carol froze. Lying in the floor before her was a large pool of blood outside both of the cells. Carol covered her mouth to catch the escaped gasp that left her mouth. She could see blood skids leading from the cells to beyond her scope of vision. Quietly she tiptoed to follow the trail and standing there, just outside the doors, holding a gas can, was Sasha.


	2. Chapter 2 Dark Corners

"She was going to make Tyreese sick. When I got here I swear Carol, I swear, she was breathing her last. Dave was too. I can't lose Ty – I, I just can't. He is all I have left. "She pleaded and begged with her eyes.

Sosha stood there looking like a little child, with sweat rolling down the sides of her face. She was breathing heavy and barely had enough oxygen to breathe, let alone speak. Carol had never seen Sosha look so afraid and so sad. She felt she had done a pretty good job covering up her emotions, going numb, no longer feeling the pain of those she lost but rather suiting herself up with another layer of thick skin to deflect the arrows of disappointment but she couldn't stop crying when she looked at Sosha. Suddenly a rush of those who were lost came flooding back in one solitary moment of grief and despair. She saw Andrea who lost Amy and her sweet Daryl who lost Merle. She herself had lost a sister a few years before the Apocalypse and she understood the pain associated with such a loss.

"Give me the gas can Sosha." Carol said softly. "You were never here."

Trembling, Sosha handed her the gas can. "I can't let you take the fall Carol." She begged and wagged her head as tears flowed down her cheeks. "I can't let you do this."

"You can, and you will Sosha. Go take a shower and go to bed. You need some rest. It's going to be okay. I know what I'm doing." Carol pleaded.

"No, you don't, Tyreese, he won't forgive me, he won't but I can't, I just can't let him get sick. I can't let him…."

"You were never here Sosha. Now, go. I've got this."

Sosha slowly turned and walked away and as she got to the door she turned around. "Why were you here Carol?"

"You're not the only one who can't lose someone Sosha." She smiled faintly and began her gruesome task.


	3. Chapter 3

**I have SO many feels and theories and hopes for how this story is going to play out on TWD. There have been alot of hopelessness going around for Caryl but I am a HOPEFUL romantic. If they are good writers on TWD, they can write us out of this predicament and twist it in a way that is interesting and fascinating. In case they dont however, we always have FANFIC to write what we want (Like the brilliant SOA Loving Mom) who I adore. I know this is coming along slowly but this is my busy season with work. Thank you! **

Rick's question stung her – sending panic through her body. "Did you kill Karen and David?" He asked again.

"Yes." She answered flatly and walked away. Hadn't she? She was making her way to the cells. She had her knife. Her mind was made up. She was going to kill Karen and David. Sosha beat her to it. She now knew that Sosha was gravely ill and in some small way that made it even worse. If she died, she would never want her to be remembered by Tyreese as the one who killed Karen. It was a sacrifice she was willing to make. There was little she could do for Sophia when she was lost in the woods. There was nothing she could do when she walked out of the barn that day – a walker. But, for the love her family – she would do everything she could to keep the sickness from spreading. It seemed cold and callous but she was determined to keep them safe.

Rick held out Carol's backpack. Reluctantly she took it from him and placed it on her shoulder. "So, this is how it ends for us?" Carol said with a tear rolling down her cheek.

"It ended the moment you decided to make a choice that would affect every single person at that Prison Carol."

"You're right. My hope was that the choice I made would save many lives by sacrificing two." She said firmly.

"Who or what the hell gives you the right to make that decision Carol? You don't get to play God. You didn't before this whole shit started and you sure as hell don't get to now. We still have to be civil! Dammit Carol! Rick said shouting.

"Civil? Carol squinted her eyes and took a step forward. Civil? How civil was it when we locked a young, innocent boy in a barn and voted on whether or not to kill him? How civil was it when we turned down person after person who was begging us to become part of our group only to leave them to be eaten by walkers? How civil was it when Carl shot a boy who was surrendering?"

"Don't you go there Carol. Don't you do that – you are walking on dangerous ground right now."

"I know Rick. I get it. It's on your terms. It's how you see it and there is nothing I can do about that." I just wish you understood. She said flatly.

"They may have lived Carol."

Carol stepped around to the driver's side door and opened it. "Maybe – but at what cost? Judith? Carl? Rick stood still, apparently pondering what she said. "Well now, look who's playing God." Carol said and then slid into the driver's seat and shut the door.

As she drove away her words still hung in the air. What the hell was he going to tell Daryl?

Rick rolled up slowly in the now one-passenger car. He saw that Daryl's group was already back as Daryl had the hood of the car open and Michonne was leaning against the front end talking and apparently flirting with the not-interested hunter. Rick was anxious to find out if they were able to get the medication. He walked quickly to Daryl and Michonne.

"We got it. We've handed it over to Herschel." Michonne said smiling in triumph.

"Any trouble?" Rick asked.

"You kiddin?" Daryl answered. "What 'bout you? Heard you and Carol went on a run. Find anything?"

"We found a little food, some medication, a couple of people who at least one ended up being Walker food_. _I don't know what happened to the other one. Rick's heart began to race and his palms began to sweat. Daryl, can I talk to you alone for a minute?"

"That's my cue, I'll go help clear the fence." Michonne said pulling out her sword and walking to the front of the prison.

Rick looked down at the ground, pondering what he was going to say, trying to find the right way to tell him. Daryl stood squinting his eyes against the Georgia sun and wiped the oil off the engine's dipstick. "She's gone ain't she?" Daryl said with a low voice.

Rick didn't answer out loud but shook his head in affirmation.

"You make sure she didn't turn?" Daryl asked turning back to the car's engine and placing the dipstick back where it belonged.

Rick looked up this time but still would not look at Daryl. He wanted to tell them the truth but it just would not come. "I did." Was all he said.

Daryl slammed the hood down with intense force and without turning back to look at Rick, walked away, only muttering, "Got things to do. Don't come lookin' for me, don't bother me." Daryl never turned to look at Rick as he walked quickly towards the back of the prison.

Daryl beat his fists against the brick wall so hard he was sure he broke his hands. He felt like his heart was being ripped out of his chest and the lump in his throat was so big he felt he could choke. All he could see was Carol there before his eyes. He slid down the wall, remembering another time he was back against a wall, slamming a knife into it and grieving her. It hurt him more that only seconds later he found her in a solitary cell, sick and weak, but alive. There was no cell now. There was no hope. Rick saw her die, he made sure she didn't turn but she was gone. Gone. Carol was gone and he couldn't figure out for the life of him how he should feel – he only knew what he felt – utter hopelessness. He never told her how he really felt. Hell, would it have mattered? You don't focus on romance during an apocalypse. You shut all those feelings off. It's all about survival. There's not time for love and feelings and any thought of the future. You just get through today. "Stop bein' a pussy and get over it." He said to himself. He stood back up and tossed his bow behind his back. He had things to do. He let know one know how he felt, though the others knew. That night Daryl dreamed that Carol was falling into a pit of Walkers and he grabbed her hand to pull her up. She smiled at him with that beautiful smile and then let go of his hand, falling into the pit. He snapped awake and was breathing heavy and sweating profusely. He sat for a moment and then put his mouth into his pillow and cried himself to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**So sorry that it has been so long since updating. Everyone is this house has been sick, new job and getting our house ready to sell and pack and move. Hang in there y'all smut is coming. Lol. **

Daryl sat up suddenly, shielding his eyes from the light shining in them. He couldn't see who it was holding the lantern and for a brief moment he thought he was dreaming again.

"Daryl, Daryl, wake up." The slow drawl in her voice was undeniable.

"Maggie? What the hell?" He said, surprised by the middle of the night interruption.

"I have to talk to you."

"What's going on? Glenn okay?"

"He's fine, doin' much better. There is something I have to tell you." Maggie said while sitting down at the end of his bed. "I would never want to betray Rick's trust but if it were Glenn, I would want to know." She took a deep breath and uttered, "Carol is alive. Rick left her on that last run. She admitted to killing Karen and David and…."

Daryl did not even wait for her to finish. He jumped out of bed, threw on his pants and grabbed his bow.

"Daryl, Daryl, wait, you have to calm down." Maggie pleaded. But the pleas fell on deaf ears. Daryl was furious and made his way to Rick's cell.

Rick was still sleeping when Daryl pulled him from his sleep. "What the fuck is goin' on around here? You fuckin' liked to me? You lied to me?"

Rick stumbled, finding it hard to control his balance. "Just calm down Daryl, you have to understand the circumstances. You have to know what really happened, all of it before you do anything crazy."

"All I have to know is that you fuckin' left her out there alone. You fuckin' went Wyatt Earp and without knowin' everything."

Rick stepped closer to Daryl, attempting to whisper so the rest of the Prison would not wake up though he figured they probably already had.

"All I had to know was that she confessed Daryl. She confessed. I couldn't have her here. I couldn't have her around Tyrese. I couldn't have her around my kids. She was dangerous and I couldn't have her here."

"What's your definition' of dangerous? Shane? Tyrese? Who's losin' his fuckin' mind by the way. You? Who went ape-shit after Lori died? Carl? This is bullshit!"

Rick stood for a moment, unable to find the words. He took a step back and looked at the ground. "I did what I thought was best for the group. I did…."

"Where'd you leave her?" Daryl asked.

"Daryl, I left her with a car, supplies, she's strong, she'll find a new group, she'll be fine." Rick looked up and saw the determination in his face. He sighed heavily, "Eight miles north of here in a neighborhood's cul-de-sac. She drove off going south. "

Daryl didn't hesitate any longer. He grabbed what supplies he could and headed for his bike. Dawn was just approaching and he was happy for the new light of day. Rick followed him out, pleading with him to understand. Before he sat on his bike he turned to address him, "If anything has happened to her, Tyrese will be the least of your worries." With that he sped off into the sunrise.

Carol crouched behind the thinning shrubs. Fall was coming in and the leaves were starting to change. She knew she had to find another group or store up for the winter and by the looks of the amount of acorns scattered at her feet, it was going to be harsh. She watched as a strong, burly man unloaded feed from the back of the truck with the help of a younger boy. She had watched the Farm for days now and noticed several people coming in and out of the large farmhouse but it was hard to tell who actually led the group. She had spent the last week sleeping in a rickety deer stand, barely sheltered from the elements. She watched as the burly man pulled a deer from the truck and her mouth instantly watered. When was the last time she had meat? Her stomach growled an answer. She knew today had to be the day she approached the farm. Standing from the shrubs she turned, only to be startled off her feet. She fell to the ground, placing her hand to her brow to shield her eyes from the setting sun. She could see a silhouette in front of her, obviously a man, but she was still unable to see his face.

"Who the hell are you?" He asked gruffly.

"Mind helping me up first?" she said extending her hand.

"No, you just stay down there. Who are you?" He asked again.

"I'm no threat if that's what you mean." She said, with no trace of fear.

"Damn, you're stubborn." He said while pulling her to her feet.

"My name is Carol. I'm by myself."

"Why are you spying? You casin' the place for someone else?" He said looking paranoid as his eyes darted around the trees.

Carol used her hands to flick the remaining leaves off her jeans and looked up to address the stranger in front of her. She nearly gasped as she saw him. It was impossible for her to ignore the bulging muscles under his black t-shirt. He was surprisingly tall with black and pepper colored hair that peeked out under his Braves baseball cap. His eyes were a piercing blue, outlined by impossibly long eyelashes. He was attractive but his eyes held a darkness there she assumed was from great loss.

"No, I'm just trying to find a place to stay. I lost my family and I've been roaming, trying to find refuge."

The man eyed her suspiciously, looking her up and down. He tried not to notice the beautiful blue eyes that looked back at him or the elegantly long neck that beckoned him to wander further down to her full breasts that were straining against a v-neck pink shirt that looked almost too small for her. Snapping back to reality he offered his hand.

"My name is Drew. I don't trust anybody." He said still offering his hand.

"Nice to meet you, that makes two of us." Carol smiled while shaking his hand.

"Come with me and I'll introduce you to the others. You'll be on probation. This is a working farm. Everyone, and I mean everyone earns their keep here. You fuck up one time and you're out. Sid pretty much runs everything – or at least all decisions go through him. He's a bit of a hard-ass but this is his place and he's earned it. He makes the decision as to who stays and who goes. You'll be in the barn until he says otherwise. It's no Ritz-Carlton but it's safe.

As they got closer to the house Carol was amazed at what she saw. Drew picked up a large board and used it to bridge a very deep and wide cavern that circled around the entire house. Looking down as she walked across the board, she saw a couple of walkers who growled as she scampered across.

"What the hell is this"? She marveled.

"Our own personal castle, complete with moat." He chuckled.

"How in the hell was this accomplished?" She marveled.

"Lots of hard work, come on, you can meet the others."

Daryl woke up from a three-hour night of sleeping. His body was stiff and his bones cracked as he stood up from the small mat he had laid down on the diner floor. He chuckled to himself as he thought of the old country song – He was way too young to feel this damn old. Being on the road by himself was harder than he thought but he was determined to find Carol. He had already stumbled across two camping sites in the woods and with his cunning hunting techniques he went undetected while watching to see if Carol was among them. He couldn't help but think about his family back at the prison. So many were still recovering from the flu and they were still unsure if they were all going to make it. He had followed the road South for 12 miles now with no sign of the car Rick left Carol and with the large herds he had encountered earlier getting the medication, he wasn't sure how much longer he could travel the road. In some small way he hoped it would stop her from traveling farther so he could catch up. He silently cursed Rick for his lie that allowed Carol to get a head start but he was a tracker and he knew that no matter how long she was gone, he would find her. He climbed on the back of his bike and headed off to follow the road south with Carol on his mind.

"Sid, this here's Carol. Found her in the woods. She's alone." Drew motioned to Carol with his gun, his introductions as informal as she thought they would be.

Sid stood before her not saying a word. His eyes raked over her and she instinctively placed her hand over her throat to guard her breasts from his obvious fascination. She noticed the way Drew looked at her but Sid was different. There was an obvious depravity that she was an expert at noticing. She saw it every time she had looked at Ed. The hair on the back of her neck stood up as he extended his hand to her. "You got any skills?" Cooking? Nursing? Baby tending? " he asked her gruffly.

Carol laughed to herself. She tried not to pre-judge him as a chauvinist just by his apparent lust but after his questions she knew it was true.

"I can take out a horde of Walkers with just a knife, pretty good shot too. I don't flinch. I don't cry over them and I can make a split-second decision when it's absolutely necessary and I'm a goddamn survivor. THAT is my talent." She said while holding up her head proudly.

Drew smiled widely while Sid squinted his eyes and stared at her in obvious distrust. "Well, we leave that up to the men. The women cook, clean, nurse, that's what we need here too."

"With all due respect Sid I can cook, clean, nurse, baby tend as well as any woman but that isn't going to save me from a herd of Walkers."  
I can –

"You'll sleep in the barn until I give orders to have you moved to the house. Sid interrupted. You are expected to be at breakfast, lunch and dinner when you hear the bell, I will give you a chore list once you get settled. Those chores will consist of cooking and cleaning and whatever hell else I say or you can see your way out of here. I don't care how many flesh eaters you've killed or can kill and I don't give a shit about your shooting abilities. That is not what we need. Oh, and if you ever forget, I am in charge." He picked up his rifle and walked off toward the house.

"Not exactly a ray of sunshine is he?" Carol asked Drew.

"Come on, I'll take you to the barn loft." Drew answered.

A month had almost passed since Daryl had begun his search for Carol. He had slept in gas stations, houses, diners, trees and he was tired. He wasn't sure how much longer he could go on. Every time he felt like giving up he thought of Sophia. How many times had he been ready to give up and who knows how close he actually was to finding her before she was bitten? Every time he felt like giving up he would have a dream about Carol that very night – her blue eyes dancing in the firelight like they did that first night at the prison, her smile that always made his knees weak, her sweet flirting that always brought him back from his somber mood. As hard as he tried not to, his thoughts always ended with him thinking of what it would be like to lay next to her and hold her. He missed the smell of her hair and the softness of her skin. He longed to kiss the long part of her neck and brush his fingers down her spine, holding her, protecting her from what the world had come to. Daryl adjusted himself, the bulge in his pants seeking relief. The very thought of her brought him to this every time. He loved her and he understood now more than ever that absence truly makes the heart grow fonder. Tomorrow he would explore the section of the woods where he found an abandoned car and hoped beyond hope it was hers.

"So, why does he still keep me in the barn? It's been almost a month. I've done everything he's asked me to do and I have more than earned my keep." Carol sounded frustrated.

"He's trying to protect you from the other women. That's what I think anyway." Drew answered.

Carol rolled her eyes. "Those women are diabolical."

"They're just trying to survive. I see the way he looks at you. In case you haven't noticed you are a swan in the midst of ducklings. Whoever wins Sid wins the best bed, best food, best comforts, etcetera. Nothing is worse than a woman scorned. I've learned that."

"Ewwww, that is just gross. I'd rather have my independence and live in a dog house before I would let some man buy me. I'm not a whore no matter what my former husband said about me." Carol chuckled.

Drew grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to him, his face mere inches from her. "You are the sexiest, most beautiful woman I have ever known – before the world went to shit and hereafter. He leaned in to kiss her and she pushed him away.

"No, Drew. I can't. Control yourself, will you?"

"It's the Robin Hood isn't it? The hunter, the hero, the knight in shining armor that you can't get out of your head? Shit Carol I wish you would forget about him or go back for him. You have to move on. He could be dead for all you know."

"Don't say that Drew. He wouldn't do that to me." She smiled. You don't know him. He's like this mountain lion that thinks he's a house cat. He's strong and courageous and self-sacrificing and doesn't even know it. He was told over and over again that he isn't worth taking out of the rain and yet this little boy side of him comes through every time I was with him or saw him bring in a deer or the night I saw him lying in bed recovering from wounds he endured while searching for my little girl. He brought me a flower and told me the most beautiful story of hope and healing when my little girl had turned. He has saved me more than once and in so many ways. He found me when I was nearly passed out in a cell and carried me to safety. When he looks at me he can see through me and yet he doesn't judge me. He and I are kindred spirits – whether you believe in that kind of thing or not – it is something I know. He gets me and I get him. I would know if he was dead. I would just know. No, he's not dead." She shook her head and picked up a shovel and started cleaning the nearby stall.

"Wow, I don't stand a snowball's chance in hell do I? Don't know if I've ever heard anyone declare their love like that before."

"I didn't say I was in love with him. I'm just saying…"

"Shit Carol, you don't have to. You don't have to." He smirked and walked out of the barn.

Carol feverishly shoveled the stall, fighting back tears. Her declaration of love for Daryl brought him back to her mind and she literally ached for his presence. She had tried so hard to put him out of her mind but she didn't know if she ever could. Tears streamed down her face, falling onto her shirt below. She missed him. She missed her family but she missed him. She hadn't felt safe since she left him and she was doing everything she could to stay strong but she couldn't help but feel like she was missing her other half.

The sun was starting to set and Daryl knew he had to get to shelter soon. Looking up he saw an old rickety deer stand and decided to take refuge for the night. When he reached the top he froze. Lying on the floor of the stand was Carol's blue scarf. His heart skipped a beat. He was getting close and he knew, he just knew he would find her – alive. At first light he would use every tracking ability he had acquired to find her.

Carol rolled over on her left side, trying to avoid the first beam of light for the day that pierced her eyes. She was beyond exhausted and needed at least one more hour to be able to function. Her eyelids were heavy and so she closed them, in between sleep and awake for a few brief moments. Suddenly she felt a heaviness on her chest and a hand covered her mouth. Her eyes flew open with surprise and in her grogginess of trying to awake, she was unable to see who was on her. In panic she fought the person who grabbed her wrist. She knew now that it was a man and it made her panic even more. He bent down and whispered in her ear.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way but you're earning your keep and you're going to earn your way in to my house." His voice made her body cringe.

"Get off of me Sid!" Get off of me!" She screamed.

Taking his fist he punched her in the side of the face and she reeled for a moment, seeing stars and feeling like she was in a tunnel. She knew if she could get to her knife that she could end his assault but for now she couldn't even tell up from down. He grabbed at the button on her jeans and yanked them open, the horror of what he was about to do becoming a shocking reality to her. She tried to scream but his other hand was on her throat and his weight was no match for her. He pushed his hand down the front of her pants and touched her, seeking entrance with his fingers. Carol bucked and kicked trying to keep him away but it only made him more aggressive. He unbuckled his pants, and pulled himself out when the hand on her throat released and he fell upon her with a thud. She scrambled and sat up quickly, pushing him off of her. She was confused and disoriented but when she finally focused she saw an arrow protruding from Sid's neck. Looking up, like an Angel standing in the doorway, with his bow raised again was Daryl. He ran over and pulled out his knife and plunged it into Sid's head over and over – in a blind rage. When he stood he saw her there with her shirt ripped, red marks on her neck and her pants pulled down past her hips. He wanted to annihilate what was left of this man but she needed him. Carol burst in to tears and she grabbed Daryl and he held her like he would never hold her again. He stroked her hair and spoke softly to her, "It's okay baby, I'm here. I'm here. He's never going to hurt you again." He grabbed her face gently and looked in to her eyes. "You okay? You hurt? Did he…" Daryl couldn't bring himself to ask.

"I'm fine. I'm okay. You got here just in time." She sobbed.

"Wish I could kill this fucker more'n once."

"You found me. Did you come looking for me? " She asked in disbelief.

"You can't hide from me woman." Let's get the hell out of here. What is this place?"

"His farm", she said nodding toward Sid's dead body.

"Not anymore, fuckin' asshole."

"Where are we going Daryl?"

"Not sure yet but I'll figure it out." He said taking her hand and leading her down the ladder to the barn door below. A part of Carol felt bad for leaving Drew the way she did but Daryl was here and she would follow him to the ends of the Earth. As the sun rose over the Autumn trees Daryl and Carol made their way into the thick Georgia wood – hand-in-hand.


	5. Chapter 5

Dusk was heavy upon the pair as Daryl threw the logs in the small cabin's fireplace. The nights were getting colder and the warmth of the fire felt amazing. The cabin was only a short stop since Daryl felt it wasn't safe enough from Walkers and even more so from the living. Carol sat curled up in a small chair that had been left in the corner closest to the fire. The warmth hit her skin and she closed her eyes briefly savoring the memory of comfort from days past. Daryl crouched beside her.

"How ya doin'?" He asked placing his hand on her leg.

Carol smiled widely, "I feel like at any moment I'm going to wake up and this all going to be a dream. I'm fed, warm and relaxed for the first time in almost two months. My head and neck hurt a little from what he did but I've had much worse from Ed."

Daryl gently touched the large bruise on her cheek, his body stiffening as he replayed the scenario of how it got there in his mind. "Swellin' is goin' down. It's goin' to be a shiner but you still look good."

"Daryl Dixon are you flirting with me?"

Daryl stood up abruptly, embarrassed by her question. "Stop, oh, hell, I don't even know how to do that."

Carol watched as he stood before her, his body almost glowing in the light of the fire. Her eyes looked into his, grazing down to his magnificent arms and she instantly felt the warmth spread through her body. She continued her descent downward and noticed the bulge in his crotch. He wanted her. She had suspected it for a while but never dared to do anything about it. He was an Adonis, beautiful, almost perfect as far as she was concerned and she had always saw herself as no one an attractive man would take a second look at but he was so much more than the beauty that stood before her. Slowly she stood, her eyes locking with his. They didn't say a word to one another, their eyes saying everything they needed to hear. Carol unbuttoned her shirt and let it fall to the ground. She unhooked her bra and walked closer to him, allowing him to see her in the full light. Her breasts were perfect as far as he was concerned and he sucked in a breath at the intimacy of the moment. The firelight made her look like a fucking Angel and for a moment he thought he had died and gone to Heaven. He placed his hand on her breast and glided his thumb over her nipple that was fully erect and awaited his touch. Leaning in he placed soft kisses upon her neck and pulled her closer. The warmth and hardness of his body made her shiver.

"You cold?" He asked.

"No, she answered, just happy."

His stomach flipped at her declaration. God, he loved this woman. He cupped her face with both of his hands and gently touched her lips with his own, she willingly opened her mouth and their tongues met, tasting each other with three years of pent-up passion. Daryl groaned loudly into her mouth as he moved his fingers down her spine, every inch of her a miracle to him. Carol shivered again and let out a moan as he reached his hands into her pants and cupped her ass, massaging the soft flesh underneath his calloused hands. Daryl felt like he was going to explode, every part of him, and he knew if they kissed much longer he wouldn't last another second. He pushed away from her for a brief moment, breathless and burning with desire.

"Did I do something?" She questioned. She looked at him with those soulful blue eyes and stood there looking like a damn supermodel with her beautiful breasts, pants unbuttoned, and lips swollen from their kisses.

"Yea, you're fuckin' turnin' me on – I gotta slow down a sec. Don't want to fuck you like some animal. You deserve better."

Tears rolled down Carol's cheeks as she entwined her hands in his and moved toward him, pushing the vest off of his shoulders. She understood that he wanted to make love to her and she had never had that before and she had a feeling he never did as well.

"This is already the best experience I've ever had. The moment you looked at me. Just being with you is more than I could ever imagine. I'm as turned on as you are, maybe even more." She chuckled.

"I don't know if that's possible." He smirked.

Carol leaned in, kissing him long and hard as their tongues flicked and danced with one another. Daryl lowered her slowly to the floor and placed his hands on her back, eventually placing his palms on the back of her shoulders and held her there, kissing her chest, neck and breast. Carol moaned as he slowly kissed down to her stomach, tasting her and savoring every moment in his mind. Carol bucked her hips up, her head in a fog of desire, wanting nothing more than to feel the penetration of him inside her, to feel him spill into her and climax together. Daryl placed his fingers inside her and smiled.

"You are so wet." He said in a raspy voice that almost did not sound like his own. The feel of his fingers inside her almost made put her over the edge as she moved her hips to help him find the delicious bundle of nerves that would do her in.

She dug her fingers into his back and pleaded with him, "Please, Daryl."

He pulled off his pants and stood above her, longing to look at her one last time before he took their relationship to the next level. She was panting, legs opened wide, leaning on her elbows. His cock was so much bigger than she imagined and as he leaned over her she took it in her hand, loving the feel of softness and hardness, knowing she now touched all of him. Opening her legs wider he thrust inside her and Carol let out a scream of ecstasy. Finding one another's rhythm, Daryl knew he wouldn't last long, setting it in his mind to do everything to make her cum first. Carol shuddered and yelled out his name while she clenched down around his hard cock. Daryl was shocked that she was brought to the edge so soon. Her warmth flooded him and as he made one last thrust, he yelled her name and released himself in to her. They held one another for what seemed like forever, panting and sweating as the moment of ecstasy still lingered. Daryl lay upon her, putting all his weight on his beautifully sculpted arms. He kissed her neck and whispered into her ear, "I love you." Tears spilled again from Carol's eyes as she whispered back, "I love you too Daryl Dixon."


End file.
